Valve



(No Model.)

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3. Ow. 1 Il 4 nw N UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

CHARLES F. WIEST, OF CONCORD, NEV HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOE TO THE TEST- INGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF ALLEGIIENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE.

SPBCIE'ICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 411,973, dated October l, 1889. Application filed June 21, 1888. Renewed August 17, 1889. Serial No. 321,148. (No model.)

.To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. W'EST, a citizenxoi the United States, residing at Concord, in the county of Merrimac and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valves, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide` in a valve means for automatically relieving IO the pressure in a pipe to which compressed air has been admitted by said valve; and the invention consists in the novel construction whereby either a quick or a slow movement of the valve may be obtained, as set forth in I the following speciiication and claims, and

clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming an inseparable part thereof, of which- Figure l is a sectional side elevation of a railway-car to which my improved valve is applied for actuating pneumatic gong-sounding mechanism. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of said car, having my improved valve applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of my improved valve in enlarged detail. Fig. 4 is an enlarged 'detached plan view of a part of my improved valve.

Similar letters designate like parts throughout the various views.

One of the uses to which this improved valve is perfectly adapted is for admitting compressed air from the air-drum of the airbrake system of a railroad-car to a pipe leading to the locomotive and there connected with mechanism for sounding the gong in the cab. For this reason I show in the drawings a portion of a car A, which is fitted with suitable pipes connecting with the air-drum and form a portion of a pneumatic signaling apparatus. Of course, in an apparatus of this character the air-drum B of each car of a train must be tapped and connected with a pipe (connected by flexible pipes between the cars) leading to the locomotive. It is with the pipe C C that we are more particularly interested in a description of this invention, as to it the valve must be applied. A convenient point to carry the said pipes, and one where the valve will be the least in the Way, is at one end of a car, in the closet or saloon; hence in the drawings I shouT the pipe C, leading from the top of the air-drum B, underneath the .fioor a. of a car to a point under the closet A where said pipe C takes an upward course through the iioor a and into one side near the top of the valve-barrel H at 71.. The opening 7i', located diametrically opposite to the opening 7i, leads to the continuation of the pipe C or to a deliverypipe C', which returns down through the ,6o iioor of the saloon and, taking a transverse course, connects with the main pipe D, this latter pipe being provided at each end with a short piece of rubber or other flexible pipe E and a section of a coupling F, by which it may be attached to a similar coupling and flexible pipe belonging to the main pipe of an adjacent car. A piston-valve I closely its the interior of the barrel H, and

is provided near its top with a flange i', 7o which shuts over the top of said barrel h and determines its downward stroke. When said valve I is in its normal position, as

in Fig. 3, its annular groove t" will be just below the lower or exhaust ports or openings h2 h3, and the springs J, connecting the flange il with an ear on the valve-barrel H, returns said piston to this position after it has been moved out or raised. This may be done by a cord attached to the top of the piston 8o and passing over one or more pulleys to a convenient point outside of the closet A; or

a rod K may connect the piston with an arm or single crank L, mounted upon a short shaft M, running horizontally through one of the walls ofr` said closet A, and having upon it-s opposite end a hand-lever N, which may be operated from the aisle of a car. By pulling down on this lever Y the piston-valve I is raised by means of the crank L and rod K, 9o so that the groove i" lies opposite to the ports h', and compressed air is admitted from the air-drum B, through the pipes C C', to the main pipe D, and thence to the gongsounding mechanism in a locomotive. After su'flicient air has been admitted to said pipes C D to perform its function it becomes necessary, in order to obtain the best results in a pneumatic signaling apparatus, to relieve the pressure as much and as quick as possiroo ble forward of the valve. This I accomplish in the following construction: The exhaustports h2 h3 of the barrel H are located diametrically opposite and below the ports h h', the port h2 connecting the port h with the valve-chamber in said barrel. The moment the piston-valve I shall have dropped sufficiently to bring the groove c" opposite to the ports h2 h3 the air in the pipe D will return and pass out by means of a Waste-passage 7b4 and a waste-pipe connected therewith; but before the said piston-valve shall have made any downward movement the air-vent h5, located in the barrel H at a point to admit air underneath the piston-valve, provides a cushion of air, which is allowed to escape through an opening h in the bottom of said barrel H, to which is threaded a screw G, slotted on one side, as at g, and provided with a washer G', of some suitable flexible material, interposed between its head and said barrel H. When said screw is set hard in, but little, if

any, air will escape from beneath the pistonvalve; but by loosening said screw G the confined air will pass through its slot g and be forced past the Washer G at the desired rate to allow all the air in the pipe D to exhaust itself through the groove z" of the valve I before said slot shall have passed theports h2 71,3, and thus the air in the said pipe D is exhausted automatically back through the delivery-pipe C', the valve, and the waste-pipe.

The piston may be limited in its upward stroke by means of a rod P, which is secured to the flangez'of the piston, and, passingdown through an ear on the valve-barrel I-I, as seen in Fig. 3, is provided at its outer end with a head p. When the piston-valve is moved out as far as it should move, this head p of the rod P, striking the ear on the valve-barrel H, prevents its further motion in that direction, and the spring J will return the valve to its normal position as fast as the air-cushion will permit.

Having described the construction and operation of my improved valve, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. -An automat-ic relief-valve consisting of a valve-housing provided with a valve-chamber having upper and lower ports, the two upper ports connecting with the supply-pipe and the two lower ports with said supply and an exhaust pipe, and an air-inlet located below the lower ports, whereby an air-cushion is form ed below a piston-valve, the said pistonvalve fitting the valve-chamber in said housing and having an annular groove for conducting air through the same, and a suitable spring or springs for holding said valve normally with its groove below the lower ports, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a piston-valve having an annular groove, of a valve-housing provided with upper and lower ports, the two upper ports connecting with the supply-pipe and the two lower ports with said supply and an exhaust pipe, a suitable spring or springs for closing said valve, and an aperture or air inlet for admitting air to the valve-chamber below said lower ports and the said pistonvalve, whereby the closing movement of said valve is suciently retarded to exhaust the air in the supply or delivery pipe back through said valve to a waste-pipe.

3. In a valve having automatic relief mechanism, the combination, with a chamber underneath the valve, having a small opening for admission of air, of an opening provided with an adjustable device for controlling the escape of cushioned air from said chamber, comprisinga screw threaded to said opening, having a longitudinal groove at one side, and a flexible collar or washer interposed between the bottom of said chamber and the head lof said screw, substantially as' and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a piston-valve having an annular groove, of a valve-housing provided with upper and lower ports, the two upper portsvconnecting with the supply-pipe and the two lower ports with the supply and an exhaust pipe, a suitable spring or springs for closing said valve, an, aperture or air-inlet for admitting air to the valve-chamber below said lower ports, and a device for controlling its escape, consisting of a threaded opening .in the bottom of said chamber, to which is fitted a screw the threads of which are flattened or removed on one side, and a Iiexible washer, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereofv I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. IV EST.

NVitnesses:

J. B. THURsToN, NATHL. E. MARTIN.

IOO 

